Apparatus for installing an electrical system



Nov.'24, 1959 F. J. SOMESSYJR APPARATUS FOR INSTALLING AN ELECTRICALSYSTEM s sheets-"she t 1 ori inal Filed 00k. 13. 1955 Nov. '24, 1195Original Filed 9 F. J. SOMES, JR 2,913,818

"APPm'rus FOR INSTALLING AN ELECTRICAL sysmn Oct. '13. 1955 I sSheets-Shee t 2 INVENTOR.

NW. 24, 1959 4 J. SOMES, JR 2,913,818. I

APPARATUS FOR INSTALLING AN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM s Sheets-Sheet :5

Original Filed Oct. 13. "1955 INVENTOR.

United States Patent APPARATUS FOR INSTALLING AN ELECTRICAL SYSTEMFrederick J. Somes, In, Detroit, Mich., assignor to General ElectricCompany, a corporation of New York Original application October 13,1955, Serial No. 540,230. Divided and this application January 24, 1957,Serial No. 636,094

2 Claims. (Cl. 29-283) This application is a division of the applicantscopending application, Serial No. 540,230, filed October 13, 1955, nowabandoned, for Electrical System and Method of Installing the Same.

This invention relates to apparatus for use in installing electric powerdistribution equipment, and more particularly to apparatus for use ininstallingsuch equipment by the roll-in method, as set forth and claimedin my aforesaid copending application.

Electric power distribution equipment of the type referred to comprisesprefabricated elongated sections of housing or duct, enclosing andsupporting a number of bus bar type conductors and adapted to beinterconnected in end-to-end relation. According to the general methoddisclosed and claimed in my aforesaid application, such a system isinstalled from a single operating station by extending a first sectionof such duct out along the intended path of the system, movablysupporting the projecting portion of such section, connecting a secondsection or length in endwise relation to the first length, moving thetwo interconnected sections further out along the intended path, andrepeating this operation with successive sections until the desiredlength of duct is installed.

The invention thus facilitates the rapid installation of a relativelylarge electrical power distribution system with a minimum of labor,equipment, and expense.

Further, in accordance with the disclosure of the afore saidapplication, means is provided for movably supporting the ductcomprising a series of spaced stationary supports each having a pair ofspaced rollers for cooperation with corresponding spaced ways or guidesurfaces on the duct, and the duct is moved by means of a towing cablewhich is threaded through the supports.

In practicing the invention in this manner, the outer or leading end ofthe duct must properly pick up and engage the rollers of each of thestationary supports as it goes along. Since the spacing between therollers is the same as that between the duct guide ways, it is necessaryfor the end of the duct to be aligned accurately with the rollers inorder for it to pick up and engage the rollers properly. Since there isa substantial distance between supports, and since the leading end ofthe duct is not supported by a relatively fixed or steady means, acertain amount of random movement of the leading end is unavoidable,making it very difficult to properly engage the duct with each rollersupport.

Is is an object of the present invention to provide means forautomatically assuring the proper alignment and interengaging'of such aduct and such a support.

It is another object of the invention to provide such aligning andinterengaging means which may be easily and dependably anchored to theleading end of a section of bus bar electric distribution duct and whichis also adapted to serve as a means for anchoring a towing cable to suchduct.

In accordance with the invention in one form, there is provided anadapter or guide block having a part in- Patented Nov. 24, 1959 icesertable into the duct, and clamping means for clamping part of the ductwall thereagainst. The block also has a pair of guideways on oppositesides corresponding generally to the guideways of the duct. At the faceof the block which is clamped against the duct end, these guideways arealigned with and have dimensions corresponding closely to those of theduct guideways. The block guideways diverge, however, from this facetoward the leading face, so that at the leading face, the guideways havea substantially greater dimension. Thus a substantial amount ofmisalignment can occur and the guide block will enter the wide portionsof the block guideways and be led accurately into the duct guideways.

Figure 1 is a top plan view of electrical power distribution apparatusembodying the present invention, showing the same installed in anelectrical power distribution system;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of a portion of thestructure illustrated in Figure 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of the structureillustrated in Fig. 2, taken on the line 3-3 thereof;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of the structureillustrated in Fig. 2, taken on the line 4-4 thereof;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the structureillustrated in Fig. 4, taken on the line 5-5 thereof; 1

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of apparatus embodying the presentinvention, showing the same during the installation thereof;

Fig. 7 is a front elevational view of a portion of the apparatusillustrated in Fig. 6; and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the structureillustrated in Fig. 7, taken on the line 88 thereof.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figure 1 thereof, anelectrical power distribution system, generally designated 10, isillustrated which comprises a plurality of spaced, substantiallyparallel rows 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20 of trolley ducts 22 that are adaptedto supply electrical power to lighting fixtures 24 or other electricalequipment. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, the fixtures24 are shown as being suspended by link elements 25 which are secured tothe trolley ducts 22 by hooks 27, the fixtures 24 being electricallyconnected to the trolley ducts 22 by conduits 29 and conventional'plugsor trolleys 31. While multiple trolley ducts 22 are illustrated, it willbe understood that the present invention maybe utilized in theinstallation of only one trolley duct, if desired. Each of the rows oftrolley ducts may, for example, extend for several hundred feet, theelectrical power distribution system 10 illustrated being particularlyadapted for factories and other relatively large buildings.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, each of the trolleyducts 22 includes a plurality of sections, such as 26 and 28, which areelectrically and mechanically joined together in end-toeend relationshipto form a unitary structure, the individual sections being of anydesired or conventional length, as, for example, each section may beapproximately ten feet in length.

Each section of the trolley duct 22 includes a housing 30 having spacedside walls 32 and 34 joined by a top wall 36. The lower end portions ofthe side walls, as viewed in Figs. 3 and 4, are provided with inwardlyextending flanges 38 and 40, the inner edges 42 and 44 of whichterminate in spaced substantially parallel relationship to define anelongate slot 46. The flanges 38 and 40 serve as tracks which extendlongitudinally of the housing 30 from end-to-end thereof and upon whichconventional trolleys, plugs or other connectors are mounted in theconventional manner.

The housing 30 carries electrical conductors 48 and 50, the conductors48 and 50 being disposed in spaced relationship with respect to thewalls 32, 34, and 36 of the housing. The conductors are also disposed ininwardly spaced relationship with respect to the flanges 38 and 40,electrical insulators 52 being provided which serve to support theconductors 48 and 50 and electrically insulate the conductors from thehousing.

At a position adjacent the top wall 36, the side walls are provided withgenerally V-sectioned longitudinally extending grooves or guideways 58and 60. The ways 58 and 60 extend longitudinally of the housing 30 forthe entire length thereof and are adapted to engage rotatable supportingelements, as will be described hereinafter in greater detail.

For the purpose of supporting the housing 30, a plurality of generallyU-shaped support members 62 are provided, each having spaced flanges 64and 66 integrally joined by a web 68. The free end portions 70 and 72 ofthe flanges 64 and 66, respectively, project angularly outwardly insubstantially mutually perpendicular planes and carry rotatablesupporting elements 74 and 76, the rotatable supporting elements 74 and76 being journaled on pins 78 fixed to the portions 74 and 76 of theflanges 64 and 66, respectively.

A pair of stilfening members 80 and 82 are provided on each supportmember 62. The stiflening member 80 includes an end portion 84 which isdisposed in substantially parallel relationship with respect to theflange 64 and a portion 86 which is disposed in substantially parallelrelationship with respect to the portion 70 of the flange 64, while thestiffening member 82 includes a portion 88 which is disposed insubstantially parallel relationship with respect to the flange 66 and aportion '90 which is disposed in substantially parallel relationshipwith respect to the angularly outwardly extending portion 72 of theflange 66. A connecting member 92 is pro vided which extendstransversely of the support'member 66 intermediate the web 68 and theangularly outwardly extending portions 70 and 72 of the flanges. Theconnecting member 92 includes a head portion 94' which engages thestiffening member 80. The connecting member 92 also includes a shankportion 96 which extends through the stiffening members 80 and 82 andthe'flanges 64 and 66, and the connecting member 92 is retained by a nut98 which threadably engages the end portion of the shank 96 remote fromthe head 94 thereof. The connecting member 92 functions to maintain theflanges 64 and 66 in predetermined spaced relationship and also servesto support a guide member 100. The guide member 100 includes a pair ofhook portions 102 and 104 and a bight portion 106 which serves to guidea cable 108, as will be described hereinafter in greater detail.

For the purpose of mechanically joining the individual sections of thetrolley duct in end-to-end relationship, a plurality of connectors 110are provided which overlap the adjacent sections of the trolley duct.Each of the connectors 110 includes a generally U-sectioned innerelement 112 and a generally U-sectioned outer element 114. The innerelement 112 includes a pair of spaced substantially parallel flanges 116and 118 integrally joined by a web portion 120, while the outerelement-114 includes a pair of spaced substantially parallel flanges 122and 124 integrally joined by a web 126. The distance between the outersurfaces of the flanges 116' and 118 of the inner element 112 is' lessthan the distance between the inner surfaces of the flanges 122 and 124of the outer element 114, and, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the flanges122 and 124 are adapted to engage the lower ends of the side walls 32and 34 of the housing 30 at a position adjacent the junction of the sidewalls 32 and 34 with the flanges 38 and 40, respectively. The inner'elements 112 ofthe connectors 110'are disposed in the housing 30 s'oasto straddle the slot 46, the free ends of the flanges 116 and 118 beingadapted to engage the inner sides of the flanges 38 and 40. A pluralityof screws 130 are provided which extend through the web portions 126 ofthe outer elements and threadably engage the web portions of the innerelements 112. With such a construction, when the screws 130 aretightened, the flanges 38 and 40 of the housing are clamped between theflanges 116 and 118 of the inner element 112 and the web 126 of theouter element 114.

In the assembly of the sections of the trolley duct, one end portion ofthe connecting member is secured to one end portion of the housing 30,in the manner previously described, after which the adjacent section ofthe housing is slidably inserted in the other end portion of theconnecting member so that the flanges 38 and 40 of the housing aredisposed between the inner and the outer elements of the connector, inthe manner previously described. The screws 130 are then tightened so asto securely clamp the adjacent sections of the trolley duct inend-to-end relationship.

Any desired or conventional means may be provided for electricallyconnecting the conductors 48 and 50 of the adjacent sections of thetrolley duct. For example, conventional pins 132 may be utilized, thepins 132 being inserted in the end portions of the conductors 48 and 50in the conventional manner.

-In order to facilitate the installation of the trolley ducts, a guideblock 134 is provided which is adapted to be secured to the free end ofthe leading section 136 of the trolley duct. The guide block 134includes a body portion 138 having a flange 140 projecting outwardlyfrom the lower edge thereof. The guide block 134 also includes a headportion 142 which is integrally joined to the body portion 138 and thetransverse dimensions of which are less than the transverse dimensionsof the body portion 138. At a position intermediate the head portion 142and the body portion 138, a pair of guideways 144 and 146 are provided.Each of the guideways 144 and 146 includes a converging section 148 anda substantially straight section 150, the sections 150 being ofsubstantially the same configuration as the grooves 54 and 56 in thehousing 30. A passageway 158 is also provided in the head portion 142 ofthe guide block 134, the passageway 158 being open at each end andadapted to receive the cable 108. A retaining element 160 is relcasablysecured to the guide block 134, as by screws 161 so as to secure the end162 of the cable to the guide block 134 so that the guide block 134 andthe trolley duct may be pulled through the agency of the cable 108.

In securingv the guide block 134 to the free end of the leading section136 of the trolley duct, the flange 140 of the guide block is insertedintermediate the side walls 32 and 34 of the housing 30 so that thebottom wall 164 of the flange 140 engages the inner surfaces of theflange portions 38 and 40 of the housing, and the flanges 38 and 40 ofthe housing are clamped between the flange 140 of the guide block and aretaining element 166 having a knurled surface 168 which engages theouter surfaces of the flange portions 38 and 40 of the housing. Screws170 are provided which extend through the retaining element 166 andthreadably engage the flange 140 of the guide block 134 to effect theclamping of the guide block to the trolley duct.

When the guide block 134 is mounted on the trolley duct, the sections150 of the guideways 144 and 146 are aligned with the ways 58 and 60,respectively, the upper surfaces 172 and 174 of the guideways 144 and146 being substantially coplanar with the corresponding surfaces of theways 58 and 60 and constituting a continuation thereof.

In the installation of'the electrical power system, the support members62 are secured to a roof truss 173 or other suitable stationarysupporting structure at spaced intervals and in aligned relationshipalong the proposed rows of trolley ducts, the support members 62 beingfixed to the roof truss, for example, by bolts 175 which pass throughthe truss and the web portion 68 of the support member and threadablyengage a nut 176. The hook portions 102 and 104 of the guide elements100 are hooked over the connecting member 92 of each of the supportmembers 62 so that the bight portion 106 is disposed downwardlytherefrom. The cable 108 is then passed through the guide elements 100,as shown in Fig. 6, after which the free end of the cable is passedthrough the passageway 158 in the guide block and secured by the member160 to the guide block. The cable extends along the proposed row oftrolley duct and a winch or other suitable means is provided at theopposite end of the cable remote from the guide block to facilitatepulling the cable.

The guide block 134 is secured to the leading end of the first section136 of the trolley duct, in the manner previously described. Theopposite end of the first section 136 of the trolley duct is thenelectrically and mechanically connected to another section of thetro'ley duct in end-to-end relationship, the mechanical connection beingeffected by sliding the clamping member 110 onto the housing 30 of eachsection so that the flanges 38 and 40 are disposed intermediate theinner and outer elements 112 and 114 of the clamping member 110. Thebolts 130 are then tightened to complete the clamping of the adjacentsections. At the same time, the pins 132 may be slidably inserted in theconductors 48 and 50 in the conventional manner to electrically connectthe adjacent sections. The individual sections of the trolley duct arepreferably joined at one location, such as at one end of each proposedrow of duct, thereby obviating the necessity of the workman moving fromsuch location during the assembly of the duct.

After the first two sections have been secured together in end-to-endrelationship, such sections are pulled toward the nearest support member62. As the guide block 134 approaches the first support member, theguide elements 100 tend to raise the guide block 134 toward therotatable elements 74 and 76. It will be appreciated that with anelongate section of trolley duct, the end being pulled by the cable willtend to deflect downwardly away from the support members 30, and theguide elements 100 serve to guide the guide block 134 toward therotatable elements of the support members. The converging portions 148of the guideways 144 and 146 initially engage the rotatable elements 74and 76, respectively. As the guide block moves over the rotatableelements 74 and 76, the ways 144 and 146 align the ways 58 and 60 of thehousing with the rotatable elements of the support members, with theresult that the ways 58 and 60 easily move into engagement with therotatable elements as the sections of the trolley duct movelongitudinally relative to the support member 62. The rotatable elements74 and 76, thus, rotatably support the initially joined sections of thetrolley duct. The remaining sections of the trolley duct are thensuccessively electrically and mechanically joined to the previouslyjoined sections, and the joined sections are pulled by the cable 108through the support members 62, the guide block 134 effecting theinitial engagement with the rotatable elements of each support memberand aligning the ways 58 and 60 with the rotatable elements 74 and 76.As the guide block 134 enters the support member 62, the guide member ispulled free of the transverse member 92 by the guide block 134, one orboth of the hook portions 102 and 104 opening to permit this. The guidemember 100 may thereafter remain hanging from the connecting member 92by one end or it may catch on the cable 108, or, in some cases, fall tothe floor.

After all of the sections of the trolley duct have been joined togetherand pulled into engagement with the rotatable elements of the supportmembers, the cable 108, the guide block 134 and the guide elements 100may be removed and reused. This is possible since the distortion of thehook members 102 and 104 is ordinarily not such as to interfere with itssubsequent re-use. The conductors 48 and 50 may, of course, beelectrically connected to a suitable source of potential in any desiredmanner. The light fixtures 24 or other electrical equipment may beinstalled during the assembly of the trolley duct or may be installedafter the trolley duct is in its final position.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed, it will be understood that various changes and modificationsmay be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and Itherefore intend, by the appended claims, to cover all suchmodifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. For use in engaging an elongated duct member having a generallyrectangular cross section and a pair of opposed longitudinal guidewayswith a support member having a pair of spaced-apart rollers, a guideblock comprising a generally block-shaped body having a generallyrectangular cross section and front and rear faces,

'a pair of opposed generally parallel guideways on opposite sides ofsaid block and extending between said front and rear faces, saidguideways having a first dimension at said rear face corresponding tosaid duct guideways, said guideways diverging from said rear toward saidfront face to a dimension at said front face substantially greater thansaid dimension at said rear face, a projection at said rear face of saidguide block adapted to enter said duct, and means for clamping a wallportion of said duct against said projection to rigidly attach saidguide block to said duct.

2. A guide block as set forth in claim 1, said guide block alsoincluding an opening therethrough from said front to said rear face forreceiving a towing cable, and clamping means for clamping said cable tosaid guide block.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,108,748 Hampton Aug. 25, 1914 1,903,274 Watson Mar. 28, 1933 2,359,532Searle Oct. 3, 1944 2,511,762 Barnett June 13, 1950

